Speed Read: Ouch! It's Expensive to Drink and Shop

Consider this a public service announcement. We know that you're highly sophisticated, experienced technical and business professionals.

But hey ... St. Patrick's Day is coming, and depending on where you live, this is likely a day (or days) for revelry and excess, harkening back to those mindless, carefree days of college or wherever it was you spent your youth.

So listen up please: New data suggests it's really a bad idea to Drink and — Shop.

"We like a drink and we like online shopping, and the combination can be expensive," said Fred Schebesta, CEO of Sydney, Australia-based finder.com.

Clothes, Shoes and Cigarettes

So as you prep for wearing, drinking, eating, and celebrating of the green, keep Schebesta's sobering words in mind. "Drunken shopping is a money mistake we’d all prefer to avoid," he said.

What are people likely to buy when they drink and shop? And how much will they spend? According to a finder.com survey of 3,123 Americans:

The average amount we spend in an unplanned booze-filled buying session is $139

Men on average spend more than four times as much as women ($233 in a session versus $54)

Shoes and clothes are the most popular drunk purchases, with gambling and cigarettes tied for second place

Beer is most likely to drive drunk shopping, followed by wine and spirits

How to Help Yourself

Worried you’re likely to shop when you sip?

Switch off data services on your phone before you go out drinking. You’ll still be able to text (even your ex, so be careful) and make calls. But you won’t be able to shop as easily.

Don’t save credit card details when you shop online. That way, you can’t easily make a one-click purchase.

Set yourself clear long-term savings goals. Those will help you resist accidental shopping sprees.

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